Acetylene-gas generator



No. 62l,065. Patented M-a'r. I4, I899. W. E. GIBBS.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @EEICE.

IVILLIAM E. GIBBS, OF FANWVOOD,-NEW JERSEY.

ACETYLEN E-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,065, dated March14, 1899.

Application filed November 10,1898- Serial No. 696,002. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. GIBBS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Fanwood, in the county ofUnion and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas generators, andhas especial reference to the type of machine wherein a limited quantityof carbid is dumped down through a chute from time to time into a largequantity of water, the times at which the carbid is thus supplied beingautomatically determined by the movements of the gas-holder connected toor comprised in the generator. In such machines the Water of thegenerating-tank extends into the chute to form a water seal, and it isfound that when the carbid is dumped into the chute more or less gas isgenerated While the carbid is descending in the chute itself, such gasescaping through the mouth of the chute. When, as is generally the case,there is a considerable proportion of small lumps and fine carbidparticles or dust in the charge, this evolution of gas in the chute isvery considerable and becomes a matter of serious importance, partlyfrom the Waste it incurs, but to a greater extent from the bad odor andthe danger resulting therefrom. It has been proposed to obviate thisdifficulty by the use of a layer of oil in the chute in connection witha deflector or back vent, whereby the gas generated when the oarbidstrikes the water in the lower portion of the chute is deflected to theupper part of the generating-tank. Such constructions are, however, opento the objection that when the generating-tank is emptied or drawn offfor the purpose of cleaning same this oil must be drawn off also andthen the oil-supply renewed again. Moreover, the layer of oil on top ofthe water in the chute is apt to be churned up by the Violent evolutionof gas, so as to mix more or less with the water and to be carried overinto the main tank. All such difficulties I overcome by the expedient ofhaving the oil seal out of contact with the water in the main tank. Forthis purpose I provide at the bottom of the chute a trap containing oilor other inert liquid, the end of said trap away from the chute beingabove the water in the main tank, so that the oil of the seal is not incontact with said water. The carbid when dumped down the chute fallsinto this trap and a conveyer is provided for conveying it-through thetrap, lifting it out of same, and ejecting it into the main tank. Themotion of the conveyer is preferably slow enough to enable the oil todrain away from the carbid before it is ejected into the water, so thatvery little oil is carried with it. The trap above described is notaffected at all by the opening of the generator-tank to clean same andalways maintains asealed closure of the tank when the machine is in use.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a vertical section of a generator involving my invention.Fig. 2 is a detail View of the trap. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section ofsame on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modifiedform.

In Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the watertank of the generator, at thetop plate of same, having an opening a, and B a cover having a rim b atits lower edge resting in the waterseal space formed between the top rimof tank A. A chute 0 extends through the top of cover B and at its lowerend extends down into a tank D, forming atrap, this tank D being Whollyor partly filled with oil or other liquid which is inert-that is to say,is without action on the carbid.

Suitable means, forming no part of my present invention, are providedfor feeding the car'bid into the chute 0. Such means may consist of aseries of buckets or cans F, supported in any suitable manner so as tomove over the top of the chute. These buckets have hinged bottoms f,with catches f, which are tripped at the moment they pass over the chuteto allow the bottom to fall and the carbid to drop into the chute. Forcausing these cans to be moved sem'atim over the chute I may arrange aratchet-lever G, engaging by a pawl g with teeth h in the support 11 ofcans F. This lever may be actuated by engagement with the bell I of thegas-holder J, which is connected by pipe K with the generator-tank A, asshown in Fig. 1.

M represents a receptacle which is ordinarily supported in a positiondirectly under the chute C, so that when the carbid is dumped down thechute it falls into this receptacle. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tankD has an extension at one side, (indicated at D',) and in this extensionis arranged the mechanism for moving the receptacle M to carry thecarbid through and out of the trap. Such mechanism consists of a leverP, pivoted at p and carrying the receptacle M on one of its arms, thereceptacle being adapted to slide radially on said arm, but to move withsame in its circumferential motion. On the other arm of the lever ispivoted, at s, an auxiliary lever S, one end of which engages by apin-and-slot connection tWith-a rod T, attached to the door V on oneside of receptacle M. Said door is hinged at the bottom and is normallyheld closed by a catch 0. A rod WV, sliding vertically in a guidingseatin the side of pocket or tank extension D, has pivotally attachedthereto a link 10, which engages with one end of lever S to turn it onits pivot s as the rod XV descends. Such descent of the rod is effectedby the downward movement of the bell I, which carries a projection j,which after the carbid-can-dumping device has been operated to dump thecarbid down the chute strikes a lever X, to which the rod WV is pivoted,and forces said rod down. The first effect of this is to cause the levers to turn on its pivot S, and thus by means of rod T to draw thereceptacle inward radially and away from under the chute C. Thereceptacle then strikes a stop m, which arrests its radial movement, sothat the further downward movement of rod W results in the turning ofthe lever P on its pivot 19, thus causing the receptacle to be carriedupward and out of the oil in the trap. This motion being comparativelyslow, the oil has time to drip out through the loose joints of the doorof the receptacle. Finally the receptacle comes to a position over theaperture a in the tank-top, and its catch 4) strikes a pin 1;, whichdisengages it from the door and allows the latter to fall, thus droppingthe carbid through the aperture a into the water in the main tank A. Thegasholder will then begin to rise, and the lever being released fromprojection j is tipped back by a counterweight Y thereon, so as to raisethe rod IV. This allows the receptacle M to fall back into the trap, thelcverP turning on its pivot 19. This upward movement of rod V alsoallows the doorV to be pressed to its closed position by a counterweights, which is attached to that arm of leverS which is connected to thesaid door. Finally, when the receptacle is all the way down and the dooris closed, the rod V, through lever D and rod T, forces the receptacleradially outward on arm P to a position directly under the chute, asbefore.

\Vhile I have above described a special means of carrying out myinvention in what I consider the most approved manner, it is clear thatother means could be used to convey the carbid through the oil seal.Thus,

as shown in Fig. 4, a simple conveying chain or apron P, with buckets M,could be used to move the carbid, which falls through the chute 0directly into said conveyer chain or apron P and is carried upward bythe buckets in the motion of the chain. Such motion may beimparted tothe chain by suitable connection to the gas-holder-for example, byprojections t" t" on the hell I of such holder striking the ratchetarmN, engaging by pawl n with a ratchet-Wheel Z on one of the shafts z .2,on which the conveyer-chain is mounted.

In each of the above forms of my invention the carbid is lifted by theconveyer above the surface of the oil in the trap, and drainagecommunication is provided for the receptacle or conveyer to the trap, sothat the oil may drop back into the trap and not be carried over intothe generating-tank. This is essential, as the presence of oil in thegenerating-tank is not desirable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with the water-tank ofthe generator, of a chute, a trap located at the bottom of the chute,and above the surface of the water in the generating-tank, andcontaining an inert liquid which extends into the chute butis not incontact with the water in the generating-tank, and a conveyer forconveying the carbid through said liquid, said conveyer having drainagecommunication with the trap.

2. In an acetylene-gas-machine, the combination withthe generating-tankcontaining water, of a chute, a trap located at the bottom of the chuteand containing an inert liquid out of contact with the water in thegenerating-tank, a receptacle having drainage communication with thetrap and a device for moving said receptacle from beneath said chute,and upwardly out of said trap, and causing it to eject its contents intothe generating-tank.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with thegenerating-tank containing water, of a chute, atrap located at thebottom of the chute and communicating with the interior of thegenerating-tank at a point above the water-level therein, said trapcontaining an inert liquid out of contact with the water in thegenerating-tank of a conveyer located in said trap for conveying thecarbid through the same and having drainage communication with the trap,a gas-holder connected with the generating-tank and means controlled bythe movement of the gas holder to operate the said conveyer- 4. In anacetylene-gas generator, the combination with the generating-tankcontaining water, of a chute, a trap located at the bottom of saidchute, a receptacle, a lever carrying the said receptacle, an auxiliarylever connected to said receptacle for shifting it raing such radialmovement, and an actuating device acting on the auxiliary lever to causefirst a radial and then a rotary movement of the receptacle, whereby thelatter is moved from under the chute and is then lifted out of the trap.

5. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generating-tankcontaining Water, of a chute, a trap located at the bottom of the chuteand containing an inert liquid out of contact With the Water in thegenerating-tank, a receptacle having drainage communication with thetrap, and a device comprising a pivoted arm supporting said receptacle,for moving said receptacle from beneath said chute and upwardly out ofsaid trap, and causing it to eject its contents into thegenerating-tank.

6. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generating-tankcontaining Water, of a chute, a trap located at the bottom of the chuteand containing an inert liquid out of contact with the water in thegenerating-tank, a receptacle provided with a door, and having drainagecommunication With the trap, means for moving the recepta cle frombeneath said chute and raising it out of said trap, means for holdingthe door of the receptacle closed and means for opening said door Whenthe receptacle is raised as aforesaid, so as to cause it to eject itscon tents into the generating-tank.

' WM. E. GIBBS. WVitnesses:

W. P. HAMMOND, M. V. Brneoon.

